Universal ball point cartridges



June 19, 1962 P. A. WALKER UNIVERSAL BALL POINT CARTRIDGES Filed Aug.11, 1958 INVENTOR. PHELPS ASBURY WALKER 3,639,437 UNIVERSAL BALL POWTCARTRIDGES Phelps Asbury Walker, Janesville, Wis, assignor to The ParkerPen Company, Janesville, Wis, a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Aug. 11,1958, Ser. No. 754,461 1 Claim. (Cl. 120-42.4)

This invention relates to new and improved adjustable length replacementcartridges for ball point pens.

Most ball point pens incorporate a removable ink-containing cartridge,which, basically, consists of a tube containing ink and having a ballwriting point at one end. These pens are designed so that when the inkin the origi nal cartridge is exhausted, a refill cartridge can be in-:serted within the casing to replace the original cartridge. A greatvariety of ball point pens are now on the market having casings ofvarious lengths requiring a variety of different lengths of refillcartridges.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a universal typerefill cartridge of adjustable length for use with a variety of pencasings of different lengths.

Another object is to provide such a universal cartridge of simple,effective and economical structure.

It is a further object to provide a novel length adaptor device for aball point cartridge to render the cartridge universal.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following descriptionand the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a ball pointcartridge forming a part of one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the cartridge shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view, partly in section, of another type ofball point cartridge forming a part of another embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the cartridge shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of a length adaptor device forming part ofthe invention;

FIG. 6 is an end view of the device shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of the cartridge shown inFIGS. 3 and 4 and of the device shown in FIGS. 5 and 6;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are elevational views, partly in section, of the cartridgeshown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and a portion of the device shown in FIGS. 5, 6and 7, illustrating an adjustable feature of the invention; and

FIG. 10 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a portion of aball point cartridge illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a tubular ball point cartridge 50, of thethin or capillary type, having an ink supply 51 therein, terminates inan open rear end 53 having a circular bore 57.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, there is seen a ball point cartridge 69, ofthe fat or non-capillary type, having an ink supply 61 therein and afollower 62 on the rear of the ink column. An element 63 forms the rearof the cartridge. The element 63 has a portion 64 inserted into the inktube, a flange 65 resting on the end of the ink tube, and a portion 66extending rearwardly of the flange.

3,939,437 Patented June 19, 1962 'ice The rear end of the cartridge isopen via polygonal bore 67 and round vent bore 68. A vent slot 69, inthe wall forming the polygonal bore, is located at one of the corners ofthe bore, and thus insures venting of the cartridge.

The diameter of bore 57 (FIGS. 1 and 2) and distance across the opposedflats of polygonal bore 67 (FIGS. 3 and 4), are equal.

FIG. 10 shows an alternate rear end structure for a cartridge. Thecartridge ink tube 70 has a rear member 73 having a plug 74 insertedinto the tube and a flange 75 resting on the end of the tube. A portion76 extends rearwardly of the flange. A circular bore 77 vents thecartridge and provides a receiving means for the length adaptor. Thediameter of bore 77 is equal to that of bore 57 of cartridge 50 in FIGS.1 and 2.

The cartridges 5t), 60, 70 are of the same predetermined length, as forexample, a length so as to fit one certain brand of easing or holder.The cartridges 50, 60, 70 may, by this invention, be adapted in lengthto fit several other casings or holders of several other differentlengths.

To this end, there is provided (see FIGS. 5, 6 and 7) a length adaptordevice, being one integral molded plastic piece, and having a runnerportion or main stem 40, and several sprue portions or branch stems 10,20, 30. The main stem 40 isweakened at its points of juncture with thebranch stems, by being reduced in diameter at these points, to therebyprovide planes of weakness to facilitate breaking the branch stems fromthe main stem as desired. The branch stems are of different lengths toprovide a plurality of predetermined selections of lengths. Each of thebranch stems 10, 20, 30 have a slot 14, 24, 34 therein as shown toinsure venting of the cartridge.

Branch stem 10 has a collar 12 and a rear part 13, each too large forinsertion into the bores 57, 6'7, 77 and has a reduced front plug 11adapted to frictionally fit into any of bores 57, 67, 77.

Branch stem 30 has a collar 32 and rear part 33, each too large forbores 57, 67, 77 and has a reduced front plug 31 adapted to frictionallyfit any of bores 57, 67, 77.

Branch stem 29 has a collar 22 and a rear part 23, each too large forinsertion into the bores 57, 67, 77, and has both a reduced front plug21 and a reduced rear plug 21 each adapted to frictionally fit any ofbores 57, 67, 77.

Plug 21 is of a different length than plug 21, so that, as isillustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the cartridge may be extended to either oftwo lengths merely by reversing end-for-end the member 20.

The depth of bore 67 (FIG. 3) is greater than the length of any of plugs11, 21, 21, or 31 to prevent a peripheral seal so that venting of theink column is plug 21 for the fifth length. More lengths could of coursebe provided for by making branches 10' and 30 with double plug endssimilar to branch 20. Still more lengths could of course be provided forby having additional branch stems oflt' main stem 40.

I claim:

A universal type refill ball point cartridge assembly for use with pensvarying in length, said assembly comprising an elongated cartridgestructure having a ball Writing point front end and an open rear end,and a length adaptor comprising a stem having a central portion largerthan the bore of said open rear end and having 5 being of difierentlengths.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSLiguori Jan. 22, 1957

